Lumpkin County: Gold History, Nature and Wine

Gold history comes to life in Lumpkin County through historic buildings, exhibits and an underground tour. Forests, hiking trails and other outdoor activities add another dimension to the destination. In Dahlonega, you can explore different aspects of gold history at a museum in the historic courthouse and at the Consolidated Gold Mine.

Gold History Above and Below Ground

The Dahlonega Gold Museum State Historic Site is located in the Lumpkin County Courthouse, built in 1836. Tours for students include exhibits on the Gold Rush, the Dahlonega Branch Mint, gold-mining techniques and the history of the courthouse. A 17-minute film is also shown. This connects the history of gold with the history of the courthouse itself.

A different perspective on the past awaits at the Lumpkin County Jail and Museum. Built in 1884, the building preserves jail cells on the second floor, including the cell block’s heavy iron doors and inscriptions left by prisoners on the walls. The museum also displays household items from the 19th and early 20th centuries, historic photographs and artifacts from local daily life. These include a sidesaddle, a copper still and a spinning-wheel exhibit featuring a device called a “weasel” for measuring skeins of yarn.

The Consolidated Gold Mine focuses on the experience underground. Its 40-minute tour descends more than 20 levels into a real gold mine. The tour includes instruction in gold panning and a free gold sample. The mine describes this underground experience as the only one of its kind in North Georgia. In addition to gold panning during the tour, it offers gemstone panning using water-powered sluices.

Wine and Outdoor Activities

At Kaya Vineyard & Winery, a guided vineyard tour consists of several consecutive parts: winemaker Dominic Mantei, an industry veteran with 30 years of experience, leads a tour of the vineyard, followed by a private cellar tour and a curated barrel tasting. If wine is one of your travel interests, this itinerary offers a specific look at the vineyard, cellar and tasting.

The natural areas also offer a range of ways to spend time outdoors. The Chattahoochee National Forest covers one-third of Lumpkin County and offers opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, off-roading and ATV riding. The Chestatee Wildlife Management Area also has public hiking trails. If you want to explore on foot, consider these trails or the hiking opportunities in the National Forest; in the forest, the listed activities also include biking, horseback riding, off-roading and ATV riding.

Lake Zwerner, also known as Yahoola Creek Reservoir, is a scenic destination just minutes from downtown Dahlonega. The lake has a boat ramp and dock, picnic facilities, fishing access and public restrooms. Chestatee Wildlife Preserve & Zoo offers a different kind of outdoor experience: more than 100 animals of many different species live on over 20 acres of gently rolling farmland. Visitors can walk around and feed some of the animals.

For a visit to Pinetree Water Park, day passes are available at the ticket booth at the park entrance; check seasonal operating hours before your trip. At Iron Mountain Park, visitors who do not bring their own side-by-side can rent one.

Discover more destinations: Dahlonega, Towns County, Chatham, Cherokee, Dekalb, Putnam, Hall, Greene

For the main travel overview: Georgia.